Washington State Archives

50 years ago today on May 8, 1975, WA Gov. Dan Evans announced that the state had agreed to participate in the resettlement and sponsorship of at 500 refugees from Vietnam. Two weeks later, the first refugees arrived at Camp Murray to began new chapters in their lives.

61 years ago today on January 13, 1965, Daniel J. Evans became the youngest governor in state history at the age of 39. #waleg #wagov

📷 Construction on the Pacific Avenue Interchange on the Tacoma Freeway, 1966. Work on the exchange started in 1959 by the state Highways Department and was considered the most complex interchange in the state.

Happy 75th Birthday, "Sturdy Gertie!" Ten years after the collapse of the first bridge, the new Tacoma Narrows Bridge opened on October 14, 1950.

30 years ago on October 12, 1995, some 500 Seattle Mariners fans rallied outside the Capitol building in Olympia to demand that state lawmakers approve financing for a new baseball stadium and prevent the team from leaving WA. #mariners #refusetolose #waleg

The Office of the Secretary of State and the @WAStateArchives will display the 1889 Constitution of the State of Washington at the Spokane Public Library on Monday, September 15, 2025. Read the full news release here: bit.ly/47FVSia

Happy birthday to the original "Galloping Gertie"! The Tacoma Narrows Bridge, the third-longest suspension bridge in the world at the time, was dedicated 85 years ago today on July 1, 1940. These photographs shows the bridge less than one week before opening day. #gallopinggertie

Washington State Library closing to the public, 12 jobs getting axed washingtonstatestandard.com/briefs/washing…

New book honors 50th anniversary of Southeast Asian refugees arriving in WA @LegacyWA washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/05/28/new…

This week, the @WAStateArchives awarded $506,000 in grants to 27 local government agencies for digital imaging, technology tools, and record management programs through the Local Records Grant Program. Read the full news release: bit.ly/45tuL8P

"Ralph Munro was a dedicated servant of the people during his time as Secretary of State ... I extend my condolences to his family for their loss." – Secretary Steve Hobbs. Read the full news release here: bit.ly/4isNyVx Photos courtesy of @WAStateArchives

#ArchivesLandscape on this month's #ArchivesHashtagParty! Washington's diverse geography means you can go from the lush, temperate rainforests of the Olympic Peninsula to the arid, wind-swept hills of the Palouse, all within a few hours.

39 years ago today: More than 2,000 people from across Washington marched to the Capitol in Olympia as part of the state’s first observance of Martin Luther King, Jr., Day on January 20, 1986. #waleg #MLKDay

34 years ago: In the prelude to Operation Desert Storm, 1,500 anti-war protestors take over the House chamber in Olympia, flooding the floor and rostrum, vowing not to leave. 📷 Anti-war protests, January 15, 1991. House photograph, Washington State Archives. #waleg

Inauguration of Governor Daniel J. Evans, January 13, 1965. youtu.be/8EWclLkjfcQ?si… via @YouTube #waleg

Daniel J. Evans receives an ovation as he arrives in the House chamber, 60 years ago this week on January 13, 1965. Evans became the youngest governor in state history at the age of 39, defeating incumbent Democratic Gov. Albert D. Rosellini. #waleg

In January 1933, when Clarence Martin became WA’s governor, the state said farewell to Roland H. Hartley. Hartley took Martin to the governor’s desk and noted “I’m turning over some trouble to you – maybe.” At the height of the Depression, WA’s unemployment rate was 33%. #waleg

WA Gov. Jay Inslee’s official portrait was unveiled this afternoon. Seattle based visual artist Grace Athena Floyd, selected for the portrait, was on hand for the ceremony. The last time a 3-term governor took part in a portrait unveiling was the late Dan Evans in 1981. #waleg

Throughout 2025 legislative session, we’ll be sharing scenes from the Forty-Fourth Legislature which first convened 50 years ago today on January 13, 1975. Did you know that legislators had their newspapers delivered by pages to their desks in the chamber? #waleg

"It is important for Washington residents to be able to see how our state’s government got its start more than 135 years ago,” said Sec. Steve Hobbs. You can view the constitution on Thursday, January 16. Learn more about this occasion here: bit.ly/4h62ub0